SteemSports Presenter: Scott Frank,
We are only 2 days away from the start of the college football season! Yesterday we finished up our ACC predictions and today we will go over the entire BIG 12! There is a TON of offense this year and there will be some big point totals. Let's get it started!
1. Oklahoma - The Sooners are one of the best teams in the country and have a legitimate shot at winning the National Championship this year. They have 9 starters back on offense including Heisman Trophy contender, Baker Mayfield. Last year he threw for 40 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions. Their defense will be a very strong unit as well with 8 starters back. They are the heavy favorite to win the BIG 12. But September 9th will be one of the biggest games of the year as they play at Ohio State. The outcome of this game will have huge College Playoff implications.
2. Oklahoma State - Mason Rudolph and his monster arm is back at quarterback for the Cowboys. He has the most talented receiving unit in the conference and they will put up points early and often. They get rival Oklahoma at home in November and they too have National Champion goals. Head Coach Mike Gundy is an offensive minded coach but his defense is the question mark going into the season. They only have 5 returning starters back on that side of the ball. But Rudolph and the offensive will have them favored in almost all of their games.
3. TCU - Head Coach Gary Patterson has made the Horned Frogs one of the best programs of the last decade. Last year though, they took a step back and only went 6-7. The good news is that they have their entire offense back including talented quarterback, Kenny Hill. TCU will be back in a BIG way this season. Their defense will be much improved as well and has 7 starters back. Their first big test will be at Oklahoma State on September 23rd. Both teams will eclipses the 40 point mark in that game which is sure to be entertaining.
4. Texas - First year coach, Tom Herman, takes over the Longhorn program after some extremely successful years at Houston. And the cupboards are far from bare. The entire defense is back and will be one of the most improved units in the country. Quarterback Shane Buechele returns from a solid season last year as he tossed 21 touchdowns. Texas was once a top 5 program in the country for decades but has struggled for the last several years. They will be tested early as they play at USC on September 16th. The Longhorns should be back to bowling this year.
5. Kansas State - Bill Snyder just keeps coaching and coaching long past his original retirement. There is a lot of experience back for the Wildcats as 14 starters return from a 9-4 team. Quarterback Jesse Ertz enters his second season as a starter for Kansas State and that usually means good things for a Snyder coached offense. Their schedule opens up easy before hosting Baylor on September 30th.
6. Baylor - New Head Coach Matt Rhule has a big job in front of him. The football program has been riddled with accusations of improper behavior and firings of coaches. They were the premier offense and quarterback factory just a few years ago but now they are starting from scratch after a 7-6 season. Zach Smith did get some time last year at QB when Seth Russell got injured so there is some talent there in an area that the Bears have dominated. It will be interesting to see if the new staff keeps up the high paced offense of the past. They host Oklahoma on September 23rd in their toughest matchup of the season.
7. West Virginia - The Mountaineers are excited to get Florida transfer, quarterback Will Grier, in the starting line up. He will be one of the best in the conference and should keep them in most games. Their defense though is a huge concern with only 3 starters back. West Virginia will have to score a lot of points to make up for the defense. They are another year away for competing to be at the top of the conference. They play a talented Virginia Tech team to open the season on September 3rd.
8. Texas Tech - The Air RAID offense lost star quarterback Patrick Mahomes to the NFL. But they have his backup that played well last year, Nic Shimonek. It will still be bombs away for one of the most fun offense to watch in the country. The defense has always been Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury’s weakness, and this year is no different. They host Oklahoma State on September 30th in what will be an absolute shootout. Texas Tech will be a dangerous team to play this year and are capable of pulling off some upsets.
9. Iowa State - The Cyclones had an awful season last year and only won 3 games. They have little talent on their roster in comparison to the rest of the BIG 12. They only return 11 starters and it will be another tough season for second year coach, Matt Campbell. They do host hated inner state rival, Iowa, on September 9th. Iowa State are in full rebuilding mode and will not be playing in a bowl game.
10. Kansas - Head Coach David Beaty knew what he was getting into when accepting this job 3 years ago. But it has been a tough go of it. They went 2-10 last year and won't be much better this year. He does have some hope with his 8 returning starters on offense, but his defense will be one of the worst in the country. The Jayhawks fans should stick to basketball for another year.
The BIG 12 will be fun to watch this year. Some of the best offenses in the country are here and will be lighting up the scoreboards every week. Tell me who you are rooting for and if anyone can take the #1 spot from Oklahoma. Thank you for following
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